NRL: Cameron Smith’s response to rumor that he had an affair with Yvonne Sampson

Cameron Smith says his initial reaction to rumors that he was having an affair with Fox Sports host Yvonne Sampson was to start laughing, but admits they left his wife, Barb, heartbroken.

The NRL legend has just published his autobiography, writing about some of the biggest moments and controversies of his career.

From Alex McKinnon’s spinal injury and the aftermath, to his relationship with coach Craig Bellamy, the drama of the diamond ring in his 400th game, and his bizarre fight with Cooper Cronk, Smith’s story has been viewed with moments that grab the headlines.

The book even mentions the reason why he has struggled for much of the season with the decision to retire.

“What gets me is that Billy (Slater), Gal and JT said they knew the exact moment they couldn’t do it anymore and that was enough. I didn’t wake up and thought, ‘Nup, I can just’ Don’t ‘, wrote.

But he couldn’t be clearer about the social media rumors that shook his family in a series of excerpts published by The Courier Mail on Friday night.

Prior to the 2018 season, Smith was informed of rumors that he was having an affair with Sampson, an allegation that all parties have denied.

After his manager Isaac Moses told him the harmful gossip, Smith “was so taken aback he laughed” before his attention turned to the well-being of his wife Barb and Sampson.

“Honestly, if I was going to have an affair, which I would never have, why would I do it with someone with a profile as big as hers? And in my own sport?” says the excerpt.

“It was just cruel rumors … that were completely untrue. When I told Barb I was devastated. He shot her down.

“I could handle it, but I was worried about her and Yvonne, who had been in our game for a long time and we all know how respected she is.

“She was about to get married and it was very sad. The first time I did an interview with her after that, I felt sorry for her.”

Sampson married Channel 9 reporter Chris O’Keefe in October 2018.

Sampson and Barb Smith even exchanged text messages to verify each other’s well-being and Sampson even raised the possibility of criticizing rumors about a Fox Sports episode of League Life in 2018, but Smith decided to let it go.